Jan 28 2021 Read 523 Times
Deforestation in the Brazilian part of the Amazon Rainforest has reached its highest levels for over a decade, according to new data published by the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (INPE). Last year, a total of 4,281 square miles of forest cover were razed to the ground in Brazil, which is an area larger than the Big Island in Hawaii.
It’s the biggest deforestation incident since 2008, when 4,984 square miles were destroyed. While the news is certainly distressing, it’s far from surprising, since Amazon deforestation has been steadily getting worse since the lows experienced in 2012. The presidency of right-wing anti-environmentalist Jair Bolsonaro and the distractions of COVID-19 have only exacerbated the issue, leading to this year’s record-breaking figures.
Weak policy oversight could be pushing Brazilian forests closer to a tipping point
by Meghie Rodrigues on 28 December 2020
Between 2019 and 2020, deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon hit a 12-year high.
Deforestation, coupled with climate change and fires, are pushing the Amazon ever closer to a rainforest-to-degraded savanna tipping point, say some scientists.
On a broad spectrum, deforestation is putting Brazil’s energy production, food security, and economy as a whole at risk.
Women and Indigenous people are essential actors in the discussion and implementation of sustainable development in Brazil, but remain underrepresented at policy- and decision-making levels.
Home to more than 60% of the Amazon rainforest, the largest tropical forest in the world, Brazil is beyond rich in biodiversity and life. The country is also rife with deforestation, and violations of environmental laws and Indigenous people’s rights.